South Korea coronavirus cases pass 4,800

Food and Drug Administration issues emergency authorization on healthcare workers' masks

 

An ambulance driver prepares to transport a patient from the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington on February 29, where multiple staff and residents have reportedly exhibited coronavirus-like symptoms. David Ryder/Getty Images

 

Concerned about potential shortages of protective gear, the US Food and Drug Administration has granted a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention request to let healthcare workers use a wider variety of respirators.

A number of countries globally have seen shortages of protective masks as governments and citizens buy large numbers to guard against the coronavirus outbreak.

The FDA regulates what respirators healthcare workers can use. Today’s decision will allow medical personnel to use respirators that have been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, such as certain N95 masks, but do not necessarily meet FDA requirements.

“We will continue pursuing every possible avenue to secure the protective gear needed for responding to the COVID-19 outbreak," US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement.

The FDA has been monitoring medical supplies with concern that there could be shortages of some protective equipment.

In a statement Monday, they said that they are not aware of “specific widespread shortages of personal protective equipment, but there are reports of increased ordering of these products and shortages have been observed in some US health care institutions.”

There are currently 105 confirmed infections of the coronavirus in the United States.

 

16 min ago

Ecuador confirms 7th case of novel coronavirus

 

Health workers take part in a sanitary campaign at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador on March 1. Christina Vega Rhor/AFP/Getty Images

 

There are now seven cases of the novel coronavirus in Ecuador, the country's Ministry of Health announced late Monday.

According to the health authorities, the individual was in contact with the initial coronavirus carrier reported in the country.

Currently, there are 177 people under observation due to their interaction with the first Ecuadorian carrier of the virus, according to the Ministry of Health.

23 min ago

Australia may use biosecurity laws to detain citizens suspected of carrying coronavirus

From CNN’s Eric Cheung in Hong Kong

Australia's attorney-general warned Monday that citizens suspected of carrying the coronavirus may fall foul of the country's strict biosecurity laws.

Speaking during an interview with CNN affiliate Sky News Australia, attorney-general Christian Porter said there are a range of powers available that will allow the government to control people’s movements, as it handles outbreaks such as the novel coronavirus.

He said detention may be an option for those who refuse to cooperate with health officials, which could compel detainees to “undergo a brief decontamination or provide information on where they have been or who they have been in contact with.”

The government will also consider declaring “human health zones” that will require everyone entering or leaving a certain area to be screened.

31 cases confirmed in Australia: The warning came as the country confirmed an additional case of novel coronavirus in Queensland Tuesday, bringing the nationwide total to 31, Queensland Health announced in a statement.

The latest patient is a 20-year-old man from China who had traveled to Dubai for more than two weeks before entering Australia, it added.

The man is currently in a stable condition.

36 min ago

Federal judge in Texas denies request to keep Diamond Princess evacuees in quarantine

 

People evacuated from China arrive in San Antonio on February 7, to be quarantined at the Lackland Air Force Base. Billy Calzada/The San Antonio Express-News/AP

 

A request by the US city of San Antonio for a restraining order to keep Diamond Princess cruise ship evacuees in quarantine has been denied by a federal judge.

The evacuees are currently being held at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

“The Surgeon General of the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services are authorized to make and enforce such regulations as in their judgment are necessary to prevent the transmission or spread of communicable diseases," US district judge Xavier Rodriguez said in his decision late Monday.

According to Rodriguez, the evacuees had successfully passed two coronavirus tests, 24 hours apart, and had been in quarantine for two weeks.

"This court has no authority to second-guess those determinations even though the court also shares the concerns expressed by the plaintiffs,” the judge said.

Over 700 cases of the novel coronavirus have been linked to the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined in Yokohama, Japan for two weeks in February.

CNN spoke to evacuees at the Lackland Air Force Base, who were frustrated by the delay in letting them out of quarantine.

“At this point, we are being held illegally against our will,” author and filmmaker Gay Courter said.

49 min ago

India will now screen passengers arriving from 12 countries for coronavirus

From CNN's Esha Mitra and Vedika Sud in New Delhi

India will now be screening passengers from 12 countries for coronavirus on arrival in the country, according to health minister Harsh Vardhan. 

Despite its close proximity to China and high population, India only has five confirmed cases of the coronavirus.

During a news conference on Monday, Vardhan said that passengers arriving from Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran and Italy would now also be screened.

Passengers from China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea were already being screened.

The screenings will take place in 21 airports, 12 major seaports and 65 minor ports.

A total of 3,217 samples have tested negative for coronavirus, five tested positive and 23 are still under testing, Vardhan added.

Citizens have been advised to avoid non-essential travel to South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan, Vardhan said.

58 min ago

US officials press airlines to collect more traveler data to aid coronavirus response

From CNN's Jeremy Diamond and Greg Wallace

 

A passenger walks through the airport in Columbia, South Carolina on March 1. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

 

US officials want airlines to hand over more data on international travelers to try and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, two officials tell CNN.

Data sharing has been a focal point of discussions between US officials and major airlines ahead of Vice President Mike Pence’s meeting with airline representatives this week and officials said the issue will likely be a focus of the meeting unless the matter is resolved ahead of time.

According to the officials, handing over more data could help health officials track travelers who may have come into contact with an infected person or follow up with potential carriers.

Among the information requested by officials is each passenger's name, address in the US and email address, as well as a phone number, within 24 hours of an official request.

Unfortunately, the complication, according to an industry official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, is that many air carriers don’t currently collect that data.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com